<question id="xfree86-root">

          <para>I used to run XFree86 as a regular user, but now when

            I start it it says I must be root!</para>

        </question>

        <answer>

          <para>All X servers need to be run as root in order to get direct

            access to your video hardware.  Older versions of XFree86

            (<= 3.3.6) installed all bundled servers to be automatically

            run as root (setuid to root).  This is obviously a security

            hazard because X servers are large, complicated programs.

            Newer versions of XFree86 do not install the servers setuid to

            root for just this reason.</para>

          <para>Obviously, running an X server as the root user is not

            acceptable, nor a good idea security-wise.  There are two ways

            to be able to use X as a regular user.  The first is to use

            <ulink

            url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/cgi/man.cgi?manpath=xfree86&query=xdm">

            <command>xdm</command></ulink> or another display manager

            (e.g., <command>kdm</command>); the second is to use the

            <command>Xwrapper</command>.</para>

          <para><command>xdm</command> is a daemon that handles graphical

            logins.  It is usually started at boot time, and is responsible

            for authenticating users and starting their sessions; it is

            essentially the graphical counterpart of

            <command>getty</command> and <command>login</command>.  For

            more information on <command>xdm</command> see <ulink

            url="http://www.FreeBSD.org/cgi/man.cgi?manpath=xfree86&query=xdm">

            its manual page</ulink>, <ulink

            url="http://www.xfree86.org/support.html">the XFree86

            documentation</ulink>, and the <link linkend="xdm-boot">the FAQ

            entry</link> on it.</para>

          <para><command>Xwrapper</command> is the X server wrapper; it is

            a small utility to enable one to manually run an X server while

            maintaining reasonable safety.  It performs some sanity checks

            on the command line arguments given, and if they pass, runs the

            appropriate X server.  If you do not want to run a display

            manger for whatever reason, this is for you.  If you have

            installed the complete <ulink url="../ports/">ports

            collection</ulink>, you can find the port in

            <filename>/usr/ports/x11/wrapper</filename>.  If you have not,

            follow the previous link for information on how to obtain just

            this specific port.</para>

        </answer>

      </qandaentry>

      <qandaentry>